Interchangeable index.



H. J. HIGK" & A. F. STAPLES.

INTEROHANGEABLE INDEX. APPLICATIONIILED MAR. 15, 1910.

Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

H. J. HIOK & A. P. STAPLES.

INTERGHANGEABLE INDEX.

APPLICATION FILED MAE.15, 1910.

1,052,585'. v Patented Feb. 11, 1913.

2 SHEBTSSHEBT 2.

HARRY J'. HICK AND ALBERT F. STAPLES, OF ALLIANCE, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO THE MQCASKEY REGISTER COMPANY, OF ALLIANCE, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

INTERCHANGEABLE INDEX.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY J. H101; and ALBERT F. STAPLES, citizens of the United States, residing at Alliance, inthe county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements. in and Relating to Interchangeable Indexes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to interchangeable indexes.

For the purpose of illustration, we have in the accompanying drawings shown, and herein described, one form of interchangeable index embodying our invention.

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a filing appliance having an interchangeable index embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tray and index'frame mounted therein. Figs. 3 and 1 are fragmentary sectional views illustrating details of construction. In the drawings, 1 indicates a suitable housing or casing of any general or special construction, but preferably adapted to support a filing appliance 2. The casing 1 preferably comprises a base or desk portion 1, having a drawer 1 and a back or upright portion 1, within which is contained the filing appliance 2. It will be understood that the filing appliance may be of any construction that is adapted to hold slips of paper or records in systematic order.

t indicates an index-carrying tray or support, preferably comprising a slide that is mounted upon suitable guides 1, provided in the desk portion 1 of the housing and immediately below a transparent top 1 for the desk portion 1. The tray is preferably recessed, as shown at 4 to receive an index frame 5. The frame 5 is formed with a series of pockets 5, each of which has a substantially vertical front Wall 5P-and a rearwardly and upwardly inclined wall 5.

"The frame 5 is preferably formed from sheetmetal, which is bent or corrugated on transverse lines 5 to form the pockets 5 as best illustrated in Fig. 4. Each of the pockets 5 is adapted to receive and support upon its inclined wall 5, a card or display device 5, upon which may be displayed the name of the person or concern represented by an account or slip holder in the filing appliance '2. It will be seen, by forming the ockets a each with an inclined wall 5, that the display cards 5 all face the eyes Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11,1913.

Application filed March 15, 1910. Serial No. 549,416.

of 316 observer and can therefore be quickly rea 6 indicates holders for the'display devices 5 extending longitudinally of the tray or support and spaced relatively to each other to divide the tray into series of pockets. Each holder 6 comprises a plate (i having an overlying portion 6 adapted to receive one end of the display devices 5 The display devices 5 are each formed with an opening 5 at that end opposite to the end which lies beneaththe overhanging plate 6. This opening 5 is adapted to receive the point of a pencil, pen, or other device 8 to facilitate its removal from a pocket or to transfer it to another pocket. The display devices are also formed or provided. with spaces 5, 5 to receive a numerical or alphabetical designatinglmark corresponding to the designating mark of the account in the filing appliance and the name of the person or account designated by such mark.

7 indicate index-carrying plates each removably supported in a pocket 5 and adapted to carry an index numeral or letter, whereby the pockets 5 can be. divided at will, so that'the display devices can be grouped under the respective index plates. The display devices are preferably grouped alphabetically so that each index plate carries a letter of the alphabet under which displa devices 5 bearing names commencing wit that letter are placed. .Each of the index plates 7 preferably comprises a sheet metal plate bent into substantially \l-shape and placed in inverted position with one side fiat upon the wall 5 of an adjacent pocket.

down in the series of pockets to accommodate the display devices as they increase or decrease in numberfrom time. to time.) I To those skilled, or who become skilled, in

the art of making interchangeable indenes of the class described, many alterationsin construction and "Widely differing embodi ments and applications of our invention will suggest themselves, without departing from the spirit and scope of theappend'ed claims, Our disclosures and the description-hereinare purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting. Inone application of the invention, the

cards or display devicesforcarrying the 11o person represented by filing appliance in alphabetical order, and

names may be inserted in the pockets in alphabetical order. In such case, the designating mark carried by each displa device will designate where the correspon ing sli J holder for each of the names can be locate As another application of the invention, it may. be adapted to the keeping of accounts in hotels. In this case, the designating marks may represent the numbers of the rooms or suites of rooms. When a person registers at the hotel and is. assigned to a room, a card or display device bearing his name is inserted in a pocket with the number of the room assigned to that person, written thereon. In this manner, the index serves a double purpose, one to indicate who is occupying any particular room or rooms, as well as indicating which rooms are occupied and which rooms are not in use, and second, to indicate the number of a persons account in the filing appliance.

If desired, the desk portion 1 of the housing may be provided with two index-carrying trays 4, one carrying the names of the t e accounts in the the other-tray having the display devices arranged with the numbers thereon in numerical order.

What we claim is 1. An interchangeable index. comprising a plurality of walls forming a longitudinal series of transversely disposed pockets, a plurality of .flat'rectangular index cards, each card arranged in one of said pockets and supported by the walls thereof at an inclination to the horizontal, a plate overlying said series of pockets adjacent to one end of said index cards therein and arranged to retain said index cards exposed in series in said pockets and each normally at an inclination to the horizontal.

it. The combination of a frame formed from sheet metal and bent or corrugated on parallel lines to form a series of V shaped recesses arranged side by side, one wall of each pocket being perpendicular to the plane in which the frame lies, and the other wall being inclined thereto and forming an acute angle to said perpendicular wall, a

series of division plates spaced from and extending parallel to each other transversely of the recesses to divide them into a plurality of tiers of -pockets, the said plates forming end walls for the pockets of each tier, a flange carried by each plate and over hanging portions of the pockets at one side .thereof, and display devices mounted in the :pockets, the said devices. being substantially 'equal in length to the length of the pockets HENRY F. POLLOCK.

we afiix oursigna- 

